THE ROLE OF LOCAL ANISOTROPY IN THE ORIGIN OF INPLANE UNIAXIAL ANISOTROPY IN AMORPHOUS COZRND THIN-FILMS

The magnetic properties of rf-sputtered amorphous (Co93Zr7)(100-x)Nd-x thin films with 0 < x < 3.5 were investigated by transverse biased in itial susceptibility (TBIS) measurements at both film/air and glass/fi lm interfaces. The films exhibit a very well defined in-plane uniaxial anisotropy with negligible long-range fluctuations. A clear relations hip could be established between K-u and K-loc, data which is discusse d in terms of the single-ion anisotropy of the Nd ions. Although the v alue of H-k is the same at both interfaces, the as-determined ripple c onstants were found to be slightly different. This last result is beli eved to be related to some local defect, the origin of which is also a dvanced.